Amazon deliveries by helicopter
3rd December, 2013
Amazon, the company that already automates many of its warehouses and fulfillment centers with robot workers, has unveiled Amazon Prime Air — a new delivery method that will see autonomous quadcopters deliver your order within 30 minutes.
Technologically, Amazon Prime Air isn't actually all that crazy. Jeff Bezos, speaking on the 60 Minutes TV show, says the quadcopters will be capable of delivering a five-pound (2.3 kg) package to addresses within 10 miles of an Amazon fulfillment center, within 30 minutes. Power-wise (or should we say battery-wise), this is feasible. A delivery time of 30 minutes should be possible, assuming Amazon uses an entirely automated process (i.e. robots) to pick your order and then load it onto a quadcopter.
While the technology for Amazon Prime Air is in place, the requisite regulations certainly aren't. Amazon says that its quadcopters and Prime Air service will be ready in time for FAA approval of civil unmanned aircraft (i.e. quadcopters, drones, etc.) in US airspace. If all goes to plan, the FAA hopes to have suitable regulation in place for civil unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) by 2015.
Watch the video by clicking on this link:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98BIu9dpwHU
